MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - Frederick Smitherman, 36, and Brandon Lee Odell, 32, both of Inwood, West Virginia were convicted of heroin trafficking today in federal court, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.
The defendants were involved in an extensive drug trafficking operation in which heroin was transported across state lines from Baltimore, Maryland into West Virginia. The operation was disrupted in June 2015 by a 163-count federal indictment encompassing 41 defendants.
Odell pled guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin." He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Smitherman pled guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Interstate Travel in aid of Racketeering." He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Paul Camilletti prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The matters were investigated by the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
